Ten-year experience with DDAVP in treatment of diabetes insipidus

Thirty patients with central diabetes insipidus were treated with 1-deamino-9-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) during the period of 3--10 years. DDAVP was applicated in 1--3 intranasal doses daily. The dosage varied between 7--42 microgram/24 h. The diuresis before the treatment ranged between 28,000--7,600 ml/24 h (mean 13,883 ml/24 h) and was decreased by DDAVP below 2000 ml/24 h in 21 patients (70%) and to 2000--4000 ml/24 h in 8 patients (26.6%). In a single case it was not possible to reduce the diuresis from 20,000 ml below 8,000 ml/24 h. Favourable properties of DDAVP: absence of reduction of potency, lack of important side-effects and prolonged action were not lost even in the course of the long term treatment. No harmful effects of DDAVP were noted. Blood count as well as renal function tests were not affected by the treatment. All the patients preferred DDAVP to their previous therapy.